


The Ties that Bind

by Jazzkintz



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: F/F, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-06-16
Updated: 2016-07-05
Packaged: 2018-07-15 10:27:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 11,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7218793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jazzkintz/pseuds/Jazzkintz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Lexa, the Commander of the 13 clans is critically injured. Clarke can save her, but together can they save what is left of the human race?</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

Blood... There was so much blood. The sticky black substance was everywhere. The white skins on the bed that Clarke had come to think of as her own, were now soaked in the blood of the Commander. Clarke felt the panic rising inside of her as she put pressure to Lexa's wound. It wasn't doing much good but Clarke wasn't ready to lose her, they had only just made a breakthrough in their relationship and there was still so much more to work through. There was still so much more to say. She had wanted to have a discussion with Lexa last night but she hadn't wanted to ruin their last moments together.  
The blonde knew she had to leave for Arkadia, that her people needed her but still she felt a pull to stay in Polis. To stay with Lexa. Perhaps if Titus had not been so utterly against her staying she might have chosen differently. But in the end Clarke knew she still had a responsibility to her people and also to Lexa, to help the Commander keep the peace she had pushed so hard for. Lexa had taken Clarke's advice against the wishes of all those closest to her. And now Clarke owed it to Lexa to show the grounders that their Commander had not gone soft but that she simply had a vision for a better future for them all.

Clarke could feel Lexa's skin turning cold beneath her hands, she was losing too much blood. Clarke's panic level was rising. The grounders do not have the same technologies that the Sky People are accustomed to. There are no Doctors in Polis. As a culture the grounders accept death as simply part of their journeys. They do not fear it and they do not run from it. 

"Don't be afraid" Lexa whispered to Clarke. Even at a time like this the brave Commander was trying to comfort her. 

"You're going to be fine. Just lie still" Clarke replied as she began to wipe the blood away to get a closer look at the wound. It looks bad. Very bad.

"She's losing too much blood. We need to do something" Clarke screams at Titus, but he isn't listening. He isn't paying any attention to Clarke or to his Commander that lay dying before him. 

The teacher begins to unwrap something from a red cloth he had taken out of his jacket pocket. Inside the cloth is a number of metal tools and scalpels as well as a small box. As he begins to take the tools out of their place holders and place them on the bed Clarke who had been busy trying to stop the bleeding finally notices him.

"What the hell is that? Clarke asks with a hint of hope in her voice. Hope that Titus may have a way to save the dying Lexa. 

"Titus what are you doing? Clarke asks him more urgently but he continues to ignore her.

"I will fix you! Just stay with me" Clarke pleads with Lexa, her voice breaking slightly as she tries not to cry. 

Titus moves toward Lexa who is now having trouble breathing but Clarke doesn't want him anywhere near her.

"No. No, get away from her" Clarke tries to stop him from approaching the bed but the look she receives from Lexa causes her to take a step back.

"Forgive me, Heda" Titus begs through his tears.

"You will never harm Clarke again. Swear it" Lexa demands.

"I swear it" he replies dutifully. 

"Then do your job. Serve the next commander as you have served me... Flamekeeper" Lexa says with finality. Much to Clarke's dismay, it seemed as if both Titus and Lexa were accepting defeat but the blonde was not willing to do that. She had lost too many people already, she was not willing to lose Lexa.

"Hey. Don't you dare give up" Clarke shakes Lexa defiantly. Knowing the only way the young Commander will survive is if she fights for her life.

"I'm not. My spirit will live on" Lexa's voice was becoming more strained as she grew weaker.

"No! I am not letting you die!" Clarke didn't want to hear any more grounder rationales for death. She knew in her heart that if Lexa died she would be gone, and no spirit of the Commander could bring her back. 

"There's nothing you can do now. The next Commander will protect you" Lexa promised. Hoping to help Clarke to accept the inevitable. 

"I don't want the next Commander... I want you!" There were so many different ways in which Clarke had meant that sentence. She wanted Lexa to live. She wanted her to be the Commander, without Lexa her people were doomed. Most of all she just wanted her. Clarke had no idea what they were to each other but she so desperately wanted Lexa to live so that they could figure that out. 

"I am ready, Heda" Titus spoke as he dipped his finger in his Commanders dark blood and traced a line down his own head. 

Clarke just stared at him in amazement. Feeling completely hopeless. 

"Clarke..." Lexa called to the blonde, feeling the need to comfort her. She knew that Clarke was not a believer in the grounder ways and would not easily accept what was happening. But the commander could feel her life force beginning to leave her body and she needed to prepare Clarke for what was about to happen. 

"I'm here" she replied sweetly. Gently stroking Lexa's face.

"My fight is over" 

"No! No, I won't accept that" tears began to pour down her face. The reality of the situation before her becoming more clear. 

"You were right Clarke. Life is about more than just surviving" Lexa wanted Clarke to know that she had meant something to her. That the feisty blonde had had a profound impact on her life. There were so many things she wanted to say but didn't have the strength, as she felt herself fading fast. 

Lexa moaned and squeezed Clarke's hand, and in that moment the one they call Wahnheda, the supposed Commander of Death, knew that her friend, her lover, her commander needed her comfort. If these were going to be their last moments together she was going to make them count.

"In peace may you leave the shore. In love, may you find the next. Safe passage on your travels, until our final journey on the ground. May we meet again" Clarke recited the Travellers Blessing and she felt Lexa's body relax, and in her eyes she saw gratitude. This was the end. Their journey together had barely even begun and it was already over. 

Leaning forward to leave a delicate kiss on the lips of yet another love lost, Clarke felt Lexa kiss her back and her tears began to flow. This was to be their last kiss. And then it was over, Lexa was no longer kissing her back and Clarke could no longer hear Lexa's laboured breathing. 

Lexa Kom Trikrui, Commander of the 13 clans was dead.

The next few minutes were a blur. Clarke could see nothing through her tears and hear nothing over the sounds of her own sobs. But there was something that got her attention, a faint feeling in her hand. A beating, pulsating feeling. It was extremely faint but it was there. It was only then that she realised she was still holding on to Lexa's wrist as Titus was performing the grounder ritual.

"Stop!" Clarke screamed.

"She's alive. There's a pulse. I have a pulse" the desperation in Clarke's voice garnered her some very sympathetic looks from Titus and Murphy who was still lurking around in the corner. 

"The Commander is dead, Clarke. Her spirit must now chose the next Commander" Titus explained as he used his scalpel to slice open the back of Lexa's neck. Down the same line as what seemed to be an already existing scar, covered by a tattoo of the sacred symbol. 

"The sacred symbol!" Clarke heard Murphy gasp. How he knew of this symbol Clarke did not know and now wasn't the time for those sort of questions. 

Titus proceeded to cut the back of Lexa's neck open and pull something out. It was small and had numerous prongs or legs, that looked almost alive. As if it were some sort of mechanical bug. Before they could get a good look at it the thing, the legs protracted inside the small device. 

"What the hell is that?" Clarke exclaimed, and just as she did she noticed something else. The pulsating feeling was gone. As soon as the device had been taken out the pulse stopped.

"Put it back" Clarke yelled at Titus who was proceeding to pack the chip away in his metal box that he had unpacked earlier. 

Clarke reached for the box but being a well trained warrior, Titus was much quicker than her.

"This is the spirits of our Commander. It is sacred. This is my duty. You must let me do my duty" Titus was not going to let Clarke take the box from him. In that box contained the whole basis for the grounder religion and culture. Their entire history and identity lay in that box. 

"That thing, whatever it is... It was keeping her alive. Put it back Titus" Clarke screamed as she lunged toward the retreating flamekeeper. 

"I will not!" Titus answered defiantly.

"She said put it back!" Murphy's tone was cold and demanding. Clarke had almost forgotten about him, but in that moment as she saw him standing there holding the handgun that had caused all this mess in the first place, she was so happy he was still here.

 

Titus had done as he was told. He had put the spirits of the Commander back inside Lexa and then he had watched as Clarke had straddled the dead warrior and begun compressions on her chest as Murphy intermittently gave breathe to the Commanders lungs. More than five minutes had passed and there was no change. When Clarke began to look tired, she and Murphy switched places. Titus did not know what sort of sorcery the two of them were performing but the colour had begun to return to the Commanders face.

Not long after her colour had changed, everyone in the room gasped as Lexa took her first breath on her own in more than ten minutes. Titus could not believe his own eyes. He was in total shock. So much so that at first he didn't hear Clarke yelling at him.

"Titus! The medical supplies my mother left here, bring them to me. All of it!" Clarke screamed as she focused her attention back on the wound that had begun to bleed heavily again. 

The flamekeeper managed to regain his composure at the sound of Clarke's orders. He wasn't used to taking orders from anyone but Lexa. In this instance however, he complied. 

As Titus fled from the room Clarke remained focused on controlling the bleeding. She knew that if she didn't get Lexa some blood in her system, she would most certainly die and Clarke doubted that even the mysterious device filled with commander spirits could save her. 

 

It didn't take Titus long to return with a chest full of medical equipment. Clarke had not realised that her mother had left so many supplies with the grounders. Clarke was also positive that Abby had not told any of their people that she had done so. 

"Murphy. The IV bags. Pass them to me" Clarke was in complete control now. A calm focus had come over her. She was so happy to see the IV bags, tubes and needles. Without hesitation Clarke ripped her sleeve off and inserted one end of the IV tube into her arm. As soon as she did so blood began to fill the tube. The blonde rushed to Lexa's side where Titus had taken over applying pressure to the wound and she inserted the opposite end into the arm of the Commander releasing the stopper on the tube once it was inserted and she watched as her blood flowed through the short tube and into the struggling Lexa. 

"Here take mine too" Murphy held one arm out toward Clarke as he handed her a now empty IV bag with the tubes and needle already attached. Clarke smiled as she accepted Murphy's offer, she stuck him quickly and released a sigh of relief as she watched his blood flow and begin to fill the bag. 

Now all they could do was wait and hope that Lexa would wake up.


	2. Chapter 2

Three days... That's how long it had taken for Lexa's colour to return fully. Clarke had spent the past three days alternating between taking her own blood and the blood of the young Nightbloods in order to keep a steady supply running for the slowly healing Commander. Clarke had only intended to give Lexa her own blood as a one off in an emergency situation and had planned to only use the blood of the Nightbloods thereafter. However, the immediate effect that her own blood had on the Trikru Commander gave her other ideas. Logically she knew that the other Nightbloods, particularly those from Lexa's clan of Trikru would be the closest blood match and yet what she witnessed was something spectacular. The brunette's heart rate had steadied almost immediately upon receiving Clarke's blood in her system. Her breathing had become less shallow and her skin felt dramatically less clammy.

Clarke could not explain the science behind the effect her blood was having on Lexa's recovery. Although she did remember back to the days of her people being held as prisoners inside Mount Weather, and how the blood of her people had been largely more effective in curing the Mountain Men from radiation burns. Perhaps there was more to be found out about the healing properties of Skaikru blood.

"Why isn't she waking up?" Murphy broke the silence in the room. Clarke had forgotten all about him until she heard his voice. There had been so much commotion after Lexa had been shot that there hadn't been time for the blonde to get answers from him.

"What are you doing here?" Clarke snapped, completely ignoring his question.

"I didn't think I was permitted to leave" Murphy stated dryly.

"What the hell were you doing in Polis in the first place?... Is this yours?" Clarke stood up to face the boy who had caused so much trouble for her people when they had first come to the ground, and whom was now bringing his toxic bad luck with him to Polis. She was holding the gun that Titus had used to inadvertently shoot Lexa, her hand was shaking as she pointed the weapon at Murphy.

"How is it that you are mad at me?" Murphy asked impassively.

"How is it that you are still alive?" Clarke spat at him indignantly.

"How is it that a cowardly weasel like you can survive again and again while good people, people trying to make a difference die?" Clarke's whole body began to tremble as she remembered all of the people she had already lost, not to mention the person lying in the bed that she may still lose.

"You mean like your dad? Or Wells? Like Finn? Like your girlfriend there?" Murphy stared her down callously.

"Exactly like them" Clarke replied coldly.

"The only thing all of those people seem to have in common is you. So who are you really angry at Clarke?" Murphy's words hit her hard.

"You're right. This is my fault" Clarke lowered the weapon and hung her head in shame. She had known all along that this was her fault. If she hadn't been in Lexa's ear for the past few months, if she hadn't been trying so desperately to save her people from their own stupid mistakes. Maybe Lexa wouldn't be in this situation.

"I'm sorry Clarke. That was a little harsh" Murphy's casual apology took Clarke by surprise. The two of them had never really been friends. Sure she had saved his life a couple of times but she hadn't really had much else to do with him. He had taken off with Jaha before the war with the Mountain Men. Before she had met Lexa. And long before she had become Wanheda.

Luckily Titus came bursting into the room interrupting the awkward moment between Clarke and Murphy.

"You are brave showing your face around here" Murphy smirked as he looked to Clarke to gauge her reaction to Titus' entrance.

"Get the hell out of here" Clarke yelled but Titus was unflinching.

"Please. Clarke, I need to see her" Titus had tears in his eyes as he glanced over toward the bed where Lexa lay motionless.

"You don't get that right. You were supposed to protect her. How could you do this?" Clarke's anger turned to sadness.

"I was trying to protect her. I was trying to protect her from YOU. Lexa is special. She is the leader of an entire race. Her duty, her purpose in this world is greater than any sky girl" Titus was determined to get his point across. He had done what he thought was the best thing for his Lexa and it had backfired on him, but that didn't change the fact that he still saw Clarke as an unneeded distraction for the Commander.

“You are not welcome here. Your Commander will deal with you when she wakes. Leave Flamekeeper!” Clarke used her most commanding voice, trying her best to embody the legend of Wanheda.

“So she will wake?” Titus had a look of hopefulness on his face. His eyes were still brimming with tears and if Clarke hadn’t been so caught up in her own emotions she might have felt bad for him.

“You better pray to whoever it is that you pray to that she does. Because if she doesn’t I will kill you myself” Clarke spat at him venomously before turning her back on him and making her way back to the bed where Lexa lay.

Titus knew better than to push any further. Clarke Griffin did not receive the title of Wanheda through idle threats. He had come for news on Lexa’s health and it seemed to him that Clarke had the situation under control, so he exited without further argument.

“Go with him Murphy. If he tries anything, kill him” Clarke’s orders were clear and for reasons unbeknownst to him Murphy simply obeyed them. He reached for the gun that she held out for him and he gave her a reassuring nod before taking off after the rogue flamekeeper.

* * *

 

It wasn’t until later that night that Clarke heard Lexa stir. It was not long after the last Nightblood had visited to donate their blood that she heard a hoarse voice call her name.

“Clarke” Lexa could barely get the word out but Clarke had heard it. She had been on the verge of sleep but she had heard her name.

“I’m here. It’s okay. You’re okay” Clarke squeezed Lexa’s hand comfortingly.

“Don’t leave me” Lexa pleaded as her eyes began to close once more. It took all of the energy she had to say that one sentence.

“I’m not going to anywhere. I’m right here. Just rest. I will be here when you wake up” Clarke reassured the fading Commander. A flood of relief washed over the girl from the sky as she was finally able to let herself fully believe that Lexa was going to pull through.


	3. Chapter 3

Lexa opened her eyes slowly, wincing in pain as she tried to take in her surroundings. Every part of her body felt like it was exploding with pain, she couldn’t help but let out a groan as she tried to shift slightly in the bed to get a better look at her surroundings.

“It’s okay. You’re okay” Lexa heard a calming voice whisper to her as a gentle hand caressed her face.

“Clarke?” the Commander was almost shocked to see the beautiful blonde by her side. Her memory was hazy but she did remember that Clarke was supposed to have left Polis to return to Arcadia.

“I’m here. I’m not going anywhere” Clarke had been by Lexa’s side for four days now and she had no intention of leaving any time soon.

“Arcadia. Your people. The blockade” Lexa’s voice was rough from days of not speaking and her mouth was extremely parched. Not to mention the fact that every word she managed to get out sent shock waves of pain through her body.

“Don’t worry about that right now. You need to concentrate on getting your strength back” Clarke picked up a cloth from beside the bed and dipped it into a bowl of water that Lexa’s handmaidens had recently refilled. She wrung it out slightly before using it to wipe the sweat from Lexa’s forehead.

Lexa moaned again, but this time it was a moan of pleasure at the feeling of the cool cloth on her face. Clarke continued to wet the cloth and use it to wipe Lexa down. She had been doing this for days now. Every time Lexa ran a fever Clarke would call for more cloth and fresh water and she would wipe the frail leaders entire body down with the cool cloths. As she moved down to Lexa’s shoulder and neck with the wet cloth, she felt a strong hand grab at her wrist.

“You need to leave, Clarke. You are not safe here anymore. I can’t protect you like this” Lexa’s plea was desperate. She wanted nothing more than for Clarke to be safe and up until now she thought that she was capable of keeping the Skaikru Ambassador safe.

“I am fine, Lexa. I told you already, I’m not going anywhere until you’re better” Clarke spoke with finality. So much so that Lexa didn’t even bother to argue. She knew she didn’t have the strength to fight with Wanheda on this, and even if she did she knew she wouldn’t win anyway.

“You saved me” green eyes met blue.

“I had a little help” Clarke replied mysteriously, breaking eye contact. She knew that eventually she would have to explain the A.I situation to Lexa, but she sure wasn’t looking forward to it. Lexa simply nodded, she didn’t have the strength and her mouth was simply too dry to continue this conversation.

“Let me get you some water” as if reading her mind Clarke jumped up to bark orders at the young girl that was lighting candles in the corner of the room. Lexa hadn’t even noticed the girl until now. She smiled to herself as she watched Clarke issue orders in perfect Trigedasleng and it made her smile even bigger to see the young handmaiden bow her head respectfully and make a hasty exit to carry out the orders from Wanheda.

“It seems a lot has happened while I have been away” Lexa teased Clarke playfully. The Commander knew she hadn’t actually been AWAY but she had no other way of describing her recent absence from the world.

“You make it sound like you were on vacation. You almost died, Lexa” Clarke’s face was full of pain as she turned to face Lexa fully. “In fact you did die. If it wasn’t for the…” Clarke stopped herself from mentioning the A.I. She knew that Lexa wasn’t ready to hear about that yet. The blonde closed her eyes and took a deep breath before continuing. “You scared me. I can’t do this without you. Your people need you. MY people need you. I need you. I can’t make peace without you” the Skaikru Ambassador had wanted to say so much more and yet she didn’t. The two leaders had not defined their relationship, they had a moment together days ago but ultimately they had said their goodbyes. The two women had chosen their people over whatever it was that they felt for one another and as far as Clarke knew, nothing had changed.

“I’m alive, Clarke. I can’t promise you that we will have peace, but I promise you that we both want the same thing. I am going to do everything I can to save your people Clarke” Lexa reached out for Clarke’s hand and gave it a gentle squeeze before pulling away quickly to clutch at her abdomen. The Commander had strained herself too hard with all the conversation and repositioning in the bed and the pain was beginning to become unbearable again.

Clarke bent down to help prop Lexa up more comfortably in the bed, just as the handmaiden had re-entered the room carrying a flagon of water.

“Gon yu, Heda” Veda bowed, showing respect to her Commander as she handed Clarke the flagon. “Wanheda, the healer said that this would help with pain” Veda spoke directly to Clarke, using the language of the Sky People as a sign of respect.

“Mochof, Veda” Clarke gave the timid girl an approving nod before dismissing her with the wave of her hand.

“I know I have said this before, but you were born to lead Clarke” Lexa had always known that the determined Sky girl was special, and seeing her take control in Polis and the respect she was able to command from Lexa’s own people only further solidified her thoughts.

“Just hush and drink this. It will help with the pain so you can get some rest” never one to take a compliment, Clarke mixed the herbs in the flagon and poured a cup for The Commander. Liking this bossy side to her companion from the Sky, Lexa simply smiled and did as she was told.

* * *

 

“I said no!” Lexa yelled at her Ambassadors. She had been sitting in her throne room for over an hour listening to all thirteen ambassadors bicker about her orders regarding Skaikru and the blockade surrounding Arcadia. No one was happy with her decisions, but as Heda Lexa had come to expect this. It had been nine days since she had been shot and her recovery had been nothing short of miraculous. Whilst she still felt some pain in her abdomen the wound had almost completely healed. The Trikru healers that Clarke had finally allowed in to see their Commander were amazed that Lexa had survived such an injury and they were in complete shock and awe at the rate of her recovery. This mystery only further propelled the legend of The Commander not to mention the more recent legend of Wanheda. Rumors were quickly circulating around Polis about the healing powers of the commander of death. Lexa however knew that Clarke’s healing capabilities were only part of the story of how she survived.

Everything the leader of the thirteen clans had ever known about the history of her people has recently been called into question. As she listened to her Ambassadors squabble back and forth she ran her fingers over the scar on the back of her neck. Clarke had explained what had happened to her after Titus had mistakenly shot her. Lexa knew about The Flame that had been implanted in the back of her neck during her ascension and she knew that The Flame contained the spirits of the commanders that had come before her. What she did not know was that the First Commander had fallen from the Sky much like Clarke and her people had only a few short months ago. She also had not known that The Flame was really an A.I or Artificial Intelligence as Clarke had more thoroughly explained it to her.

Although Clarke had explained the story to her numerous times she still found herself confused. The sky boy Murphy had also told her many interesting things regarding The First Commander Bekka Pramheda. It was hard for Lexa to believe that The First Commander, the person she had spent her entire life trying to honor had been the one to invent a computer that had ended the world. It was unfathomable to Lexa that she has essentially been walking around with a tiny computer in her brain for the past six years.

These new revelations had made her question everything she had ever known and she needed answers to the many questions she now had, which is why she had made the decision to go to the blockade herself and demand the lives of the guilty. This decision had caused an uproar from her Ambassadors. Many of them felt that it was The Commanders duty to see her orders through and they believed that her being there would force her hand but there were also many who felt that she was needed in the Capital and that she should simply give the orders to wipe out Skaikru.

Surprisingly Clarke was among those opposed to her making a personal appearance at the blockade. The Skaikru Ambassador had announced that she would be returning to her people tomorrow at dawn and had promised the other twelve Ambassadors that she would get justice for the lives taken by Skaikru. Another surprise was how the other Ambassadors had reacted to Clarke’s promises. Some had scoffed and demanded more than justice, others had voiced doubts about whether or not the citizens of Arcadia deserved a second chance at joining the coalition, but there were a few who simply nodded their approval stating that they trusted the great Wanheda to bring the traitors back to Polis for punishment. Clarke being opposed to Lexa joining her people at the blockade seemed at first out of character for the blonde, but The Commander knew the reason Clarke wanted her to stay in Polis. Clarke was afraid. She was afraid that Lexa’s presence would cause fear and panic in Arcadia and cause them to act out yet again, she knew that one more wrong move from the Arcadians and she wouldn’t be able to save them this time. She was also afraid for Lexa; she was afraid that her people would turn on her if Skaikru resisted. She was afraid that Lexa would get herself killed trying to be a hero.

Lexa however had made up her mind and no one was going to change it. The Commander needed to settle the issues within Arcadia so that she could concentrate on getting answers to her questions regarding The Flame imbedded in the back of her neck.

“Shof op, Ambassadors!” Lexa raised her hand to silence the room. All thirteen council members turned to face their Commander. “You will not question my decisions any longer. I will be leaving at dawn for the blockade. If anyone has a problem with that step forward and take your last breath” The Commander spoke with complete authority. Not a single person in the room spoke, it appeared that most of them were afraid to move let alone speak. Lexa moved to stand up from her throne but stopped when she saw Clarke kneel and bow her head.

“ai badan yu op en nou moun Heda (I serve you and no other Commander)” Clarke’s head was bowed respectfully as she spoke. Her perfect Trigedasleng caught some of the Ambassadors off guard but before long all thirteen were kneeling before their Commander, repeating Clarke’s words with conviction.

“ai badan yu op en nou moun Heda!”


	4. Chapter 4

As the gates to Arkadia came into view Clarke slowed her horse and allowed her guards to catch up to her. Lexa had insisted that she take Malik and Fenton with her to speak to Pike. For the most part the two men had not been a hindrance. Leaving Lexa had been extremely difficult for Clarke. Whilst they had never spoken about their relationship in much detail, Clarke was aware of how Lexa felt about her and the only thing that caused her pain was wondering if Lexa knew that she felt the same. She hoped so, but she also knew that if they had gone to that place of sharing feelings and defining their relationship she would not have been able to do what needs to be done.

Clarke admired Lexa’s ability to compartmentalize and as she took a deep breath the great Wanheda vowed to follow Lexa’s example and perform her duty with her head and not her heart. Malik had dismounted from his horse and was waiting with his hand out to help Clarke down off her steed.

“What now Wanheda?” Fenton asked curiously.

“Now I go inside and you go back to the blockade” Clarke replied nonchalantly. She knew that neither of the loyal warriors would be happy with her plan.

“No. Heda’s orders were clear” Fenton shook his head stubbornly.

“We are not to let you out of our site. We cannot return without you Wanheda” Malik agreed and Clarke knew that he spoke the truth. Lexa would take their lives for disobeying her direct orders.

“Fine. But I have to go in there alone. You can stay out here. There is a secret passageway over there, I will deliver messages to you to return to Lexa, I mean the Commander” Clarke corrected herself quickly but she knew that both men had noticed her use of Lexa’s given name.  
Neither of them seemed too fazed by it but she kicked herself for being so casual whilst speaking of the Commander of the twelve clans. Lexa’s reign was on shaky ground as it was and the last thing Clarke needed was for any of the grounders to think that she was disrespecting their Commander. It wasn’t that no one used Lexa’s given name, in fact a lot of people did but never in battle or whilst performing official duties.  
Clarke knew that the only way that her people were going to survive was if they showed loyalty to Lexa. As long as they did that she believed they would be safe, no other clan would dare to attack them if they swore fealty to the Commander.

“How will you get in?” Fenton questioned but he hadn’t needed to because Clarke began screaming to the men in the guard tower.

“I’m here to speak with Chancellor Pike. Open the gates” Clarke demanded. “Go! I will get a message to you tonight. Hurry” Clarke turned to Malik and Fenton and shooed them away. They hesitated but decided it best to follow Wanheda’s orders and rode off as the gates swung open. When Fenton looked back he noticed three figures all in black pointing weapons at Clarke who was staring them down, completely unafraid.

“What are you doing here Clarke?” Bellamy spoke first.

“I’m here to clean up your mess. Again” Clarke walked straight passed him and through the gates of Arkadia.

There were people wandering around everywhere but they all stopped and stared as Clarke entered the camp. Everything looked different to Clarke. There were more crops that had been planted, some buildings and dwellings had been erected. Things were starting to come together nicely and Clarke felt pride at the progress her people had made in her absence. But she also knew that it would all be for naught if the current leadership could not be overthrown. The grounders would never accept Skaikru back into the coalition with Pike as their leader and after the trouble he had caused for Lexa, Clarke doubted the Commander would be satisfied until she had Pike’s head. It would be a battle that she wasn’t sure she would win just to try to save Bellamy from the same fate.

“I’m here to speak with all of you. The grounders have Arkadia surrounded. There are thousands of trained warriors waiting on their Commanders orders” Clarke could see the fear in their eyes at her words and she realized that most of them had no idea about the blockade. “But the Commander doesn’t want to wipe us out. She is reasonable, she is on a mission to create peace in her lands and we have a chance to be a part of that peace as the thirteenth clan in her coalition” Clarke watched as more people began to gather around her, all intent on listening to what she had to say.

“What does she want? She must want something in return” an elderly man spoke up as he pushed through the crowd to approach Clarke.

“You’re right the Commander demands the current leadership be overthrown and Chancellor Pike be held accountable for the slaughter of three hundred warriors that were sent to protect Arkadia” she knew this wasn’t something that her people wanted to hear but she didn’t want to lie to them. Lexa was adamant that the people of Arkadia chose freely to overthrow Pike and his loyalists. The Commander would only accept Skaikru back into the coalition as the thirteenth clan if she was sure that this kind of rebellion would never happen again.

“My life is all she’s asking for?” Pike’s voice was heard above the now ranting crowd.

“Yes” Clarke straighten her shoulders and tried her best to stand with the kind of confidence Lexa would have in this situation.

“No one else would have to die?” Pike questioned her, speaking more aggressively as he stood face to face with her.

“No. Not unless they foolishly chose to follow you further down this path of destruction you have already lead our people too far down” although she was physically much smaller than Pike, she would not allow him to intimidate her. After all she was Wanheda, The Commander of Death and he should fear her.

“Our people? Since when are you one of us? Haven’t you been living with the enemy for months? Was it not you bowing before that grounder savage you say is so reasonable, dressed up like one of them while OUR PEOPLE were slaughtered in Mount Weather by the very savages you say we should trust? You expect us to trust the coward that left our people to die after she went back on her word. We are done allowing children to make decisions in Arkadia. The grounders may choose to follow a child, but we will not” the anger was evident in Pike’s face and for the first time Clarke was afraid of how this would end. She let her own anger over the unrelenting Chancellor’s words about Lexa get her riled up. But she was able to calm herself down when she remembered that she had abandoned her people months ago because she had been too cowardly to face them after what she had done in Mount Weather. How could she possibly expect them to trust her now?

“Commander Lexa has been extremely generous with her offer of peace. It would be unwise to mistake her compassion for weakness. But you are right about one thing, I have been living with them. I have gotten to know them and their customs. I have spent time with their Commander and I have come to realise they aren’t so much different from us. They want to protect their families and their friends, just like us. They want peace, the question is, do we?” Clarke turned to look into the eyes of the people that had gathered. She recognized a lot of them from her days helping her mother in the Ark infirmary and she could tell that many of them wanted to hear more of what she had to say. She saw questions burning in their eyes but this would not be the day for Clarke to answer those questions.

She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head before the darkness overcame her.

 

* * *

 

As Lexa lay in her bed staring at the roof of the tent that had been erected by her guards, her mind wandered to Clarke. They had travelled to the blockade together on horseback, neither speaking about anything important. The Commander struggled to get on and off her horse but other than that she felt good. The gunshot wound was healing exceptionally well and Clarke had explained to Lexa that she believed the reason for her fast healing was The Flame in the back of her neck. The young leader shook her head as if to stop herself from allocating too much of her brain power to the subject of The Flame. There were many more important things happening right now that needed her attention, mainly the situation in Arkadia.  
Lexa had watched Clarke ride off toward Arkadia earlier that day. The fierce Commander had ached to kiss the compassionate Sky Princess, to chase after her, to beg her to stay but instead she gave Clarke a subtle nod before steering her horse away. Lexa swallowed the urge to cry and she did not look back toward Arkadia, she rode with her head held high until she reached the command post at the blockade. She and Clarke had duties to fulfill and Lexa knew that her duty to her people would always come first, and she believed it to be the same for Clarke.

“Heda?” Garrett had his hand on Lexa’s shoulder, and she knew that this wasn’t his first attempt at trying to get her attention. “I’m sorry Heda, the generals are ready for you” Garrett offered Lexa his hand to help her off her bed. Garrett was Lexa’s favourite guard, he had been her personal guard for almost six years. Titus had originally assigned a brutish man named Voltin to be Lexa’s head guard. The feisty brunette had other plans however. She held a contest for all of Polis’ guards. The contest tested the strength, knowledge, skill and endurance of the warriors but Lexa had secretly tested their ability to show compassion and loyalty. Garrett was an extremely skilled warrior in all physical aspects, he was insurmountably superior than his peers in his knowledge of all twelve clans. Lexa had been impressed by his battle strategies but what had won him the coveted position of Head Guard to The Commander of the Blood had been his compassion.  
Lexa had stumbled across Garrett one evening during the contest and had witnessed him throwing scraps to the stray animals that lurked in the alleys of the Polis marketplace. She had also watched from afar as a young village girl had handed him a bracelet she had made. It was made of pink and black twine and had a tiny dove ornament attached to it. Lexa smiled as she watched him allow the little girl to place the twine bracelet on his thick wrist. She named him the winner three days later when she noticed he still wore the pink bracelet. The jewelry didn’t exactly go with his black armour and silver buckles or the axe that hung from his hip but Garett wore it with pride, and it was because of this that he had been chosen.

“Thank you Garett. I will be out in a minute” Lexa smiled weakly at him, he gave her a gracious nod before quickly exiting her tent.

A millisecond later her squire held up her shoulder armour and the Commanders sash. Lexa bent slightly so that the young boy could more easily place the armour upon her left shoulder. She raised up and clipped the buckle herself as the boy handed her gloves and placed her boots in front of her. Lexa slid her hands into the leather gloves and stepped into her boots before gliding out of her tent.

 

* * *

 

“Heda, I bid you to be reasonable” a General from the Desert Clan spoke above the other mumbling Generals.

“You do not wish to see me be unreasonable General Talvi” Lexa sneered at him. She was tiring of this meeting; they had spent more than an hour debating her decision to allow Skaikru to provide justice for the three hundred slain warriors. “Wanheda has only been gone for a few hours. We must be patient. We will get justice for our dead and Skaikru will be punished” the last part of Lexa’s sentence caught the attention of everyone within earshot.

“What will be their punishment Heda?” a voice that Lexa did not recognize broke the newfound silence.

“That will be discussed once this situation has been rectified and Skaikru has been accepted back into the coalition” the Generals began to stir but none of them spoke out against their Commander. “On my ascension day I swore to always do what is best for our people and that has not changed. I am striving for a better future for our people. A future where our children are no longer surrounded by the fear of death. But make no mistake I will do what must be done to preserve our people and this coalition, anyone who stands in my way will be eliminated. Skaikru or grounder, my coalition will stand” Lexa stood from her seat and was pleasantly surprised when a number of Generals immediately hit their knees and bowed their heads. The rest of the room swiftly followed.

“ai badan yu op en nou moun Heda!” the room cheered in unison.

Lexa’s heart swelled with pride as she exited the makeshift war room. Hearing the Generals in her coalition echo the words that had been spoken by Clarke back in Polis made the Commanders heart soar. Perhaps she would not be met with as must resistance to her new orders as she had originally thought. As long as Clarke could provide justice for the slain Lexa now had faith that the coalition would remain intact. Peace now seemed almost within the young leader’s grasp.


	5. Chapter 5

The pain in her head was severe when she woke. As she groggily opened her eyes, she recognized her surroundings as those of the Ark. She knew she was in the med bay inside Arkadia, the only thing she didn’t know was why she was there. The pounding in her head was making her feel nauseous, she knew that meant she likely had a concussion. As she tried to lift her arms to feel the aching spot on her skull it was then that she realized she was in four-point restraints. Her blonde hair was covered with blood and was now sticking to her face, making it hard for her to see. Clarke knew that she must have been hit from behind, it was hard for her to believe that her own people would do this to her. Especially after everything she had done for them. She had sold her soul for these people and this is how they repay her.

Panic began to rise in her chest when she wondered how long she had been in the med bay. She couldn’t see if it was still daylight outside but she knew that she had to get word to Fenton and Malik before they returned to Lexa with bad news. She tried to scream out as she thrashed her limbs around trying to get lose from the restraints.

“Clarke, stop. You’re going to hurt yourself” Clarke heard a voice speak to her softly, as if he was trying not to be heard.

“Jackson?” Clarke was surprised to see her mother’s assistant. He bent down beside her bed and used a wet cloth to wipe her blood soaked face.

“Hi Clarke. It’s good to see you again” Jackson smiled lightly but Clarke could tell that he was hiding something.

“Why am I tied up? Where is my mom?” Clarke was becoming desperate to get out of there. Knowing full well that if she did not return to Fenton and Malik tonight all hell would break loose. The blonde had managed to talk Lexa into allowing her to come to Arkadia alone and by alone she meant escorted by two of Polis’ best warriors, it had been a struggle but in the end The Commander had agreed. However, Clarke was acutely aware that the fierce brunette could only be pushed so far and Skaikru was getting seriously close to that line. If Clarke did not send news to Lexa soon there was no doubt in her mind that The Commander would order an attack on Arkadia.

“You have caused quite a stir Clarke. Chancellor Pike has had you arrested for treason” Jackson was apologetic as he broke the news to her, it was clear to Clarke that not everyone in Arkadia was in complete agreeance with the new Chancellor.

“Treason? It’s treason to speak your mind now?” Clarke questioned as she pulled on the restraints holding her left arm down.

“You are being charged with conspiracy to commit murder and inciting a riot. Your arrival really got people riled up. Four people were taken to the holding cells and six people ended up here” Jackson was still talking softly but matter-of-factly as if he was afraid that someone would hear him speaking to her.

“Are you not allowed to speak to me Jackson? What is really going on here? Where is my mom? I want to see her” Clarke peppered the man with questions that she knew it was unlikely she would get the answers to.

“She’s being watched Clarke. She has been sequestered to her quarters until after your execution” Jackson seemed calm, almost serene as he answered her.

“My execution?! This is ridiculous. Jackson listen to me… The Commander is out there, at the blockade. She sent me to talk to you all. If I don’t get a message to her tonight she WILL attack Arkadia and no amount of guns will be able to stop her” Jackson flinched slightly at her words.

“Wait here, I will go get someone who can help you” Jackson’s smile sent chills down Clarke’s spine. She didn’t know what was going on here but something was definitely up with Jackson.

“Yeah, like I’m going anywhere” Clarke mumbled to herself as she continued to tug on her arm restraints, to no avail.

 

Less than ten minutes later Thelonious Jaha entered the infirmary, much to Clarke’s surprise. She wasn’t expecting Jackson to retrieve the ex-chancellor but at this point the blonde didn’t much care. As long as Jaha was willing to help her.

“Hello Clarke. How are you feeling? Are you hurt?” Clarke had known Jaha her whole life, he had been good friends with her father. She had suspected that he had always been in love with her mother, but as far as she knew he had always kept those feelings to himself. He had always been wise and strong; she had respected him once. But that was long ago, in another life time it seemed. A life where her father was alive and she was just a regular teenager. Nothing would ever be as simple on Earth for Clarke as it had been in the sky, of this she was sure.

“I’m fine. I need to get out of here. Now!” Clarke didn’t have time for pleasantries. Jaha was no longer the wise family friend that her younger self trusted. He was now simply her way of getting out of here. She was however, extremely skeptical of the man before her. Especially after hearing the crazy tales Jon Murphy had recently told her.

“You’re in pain Clarke. I have something for you. Something that will take that pain away”

“What? I don’t need anything to take the pain away. I need you to untie me so that I can get a message to The Commander. If we don’t hand over Pike to the grounders they will attack Arkadia” Clarke was becoming agitated with Jaha and his constantly smiling face. Murphy had told her that the ex-chancellor had gone crazy and she was starting to see what he meant.

“The pain you carry Clarke; you don’t have to carry it anymore. In the City of Light there is no pain. You won’t be forced to make decisions like the one you made at Mt Weather. You will be at peace. You will be happy. There is no death in the City of Light Clarke” Jaha held out his hand to reveal a small chip with the grounders sacred symbol on it. Clarke almost gasped in surprise at the sight of it. The device was very similar to the one that was currently residing in Lexa’s neck.

“I don’t need to go to some City of Light to forget my pain Jaha. I just need to get to the blockade so I can save our people” Clarke all but begged the clearly unhinged man. Although she knew it wasn’t doing any good.

“We can save them. Together. All you have to do is take the key” Jaha held out the silicon chip. She surmised that he was expecting her to eat this device. The look in his eyes made her feel as if the crazed man wasn’t going to let her go until she swallowed the thing. Her mind raced, searching for a solution to her new dilemma. Before she could come up with anything there was a large explosion in the roof duct above them. A thick white gas filled the air and Clarke managed to be quick enough to hold her breath. When she realized that the gas did nothing but make the room impossible to see in, she took a deep breath and lunged forward to take a bit out of Jaha’s forearm.

As blood filled her mouth she threw her head to the side and felt Jaha’s flesh tear from his arm. The man didn’t flinch. He simply wrapped his large hands around her throat and pinned her to the bed. Her arms and legs still restrained, she was unable to do anything to fight him off. As she felt herself slipping away for the second time that day she saw Murphy run a sword straight through Jaha’s midsection. Clarke didn’t know how Murphy had gotten out of Polis of how he had gotten into Arkadia, but she sure was glad to see him.

Jaha’s body fell on top of her as the life was snuffed out of him. She could feel the warmth of his blood soaking her own body and she felt sick at the thought.

“I guess there is death in the City of Light” Murphy shrugged as he rolled Jaha’s body off Clarke and began to untie her restraints.

“You have no idea how happy I am to see you” Clarke gushed as she jumped off the bed and threw herself into Murphy’s arms. She hugged him tight and felt him tentatively squeeze her back. The two of them weren’t exactly friends, but they had been through a lot together recently and right now he was one of the only people she trusted.

“Are we going to stand around all day and wait for them to catch us or are we going to get the hell out of here?” Jasper spoke hatefully from the corner of the room. He looked different from the last time Clarke had seen him. He had shaved his head and his eyes seemed darker, the permanent scowl on his face felt out of place on a usually cheery Jasper.

“Jasper!” Clarke ran to him and tried to hug him but he stopped her.

“Don’t touch me. You really are the Angel of Death aren’t you?” Jasper snarled at her as he looked her up and down. Her clothes were covered in Jaha’s blood. Her face and mouth were covered in both Jaha’s blood and her own dried blood. The taste of iron in her mouth and she knew that she must look like the epitome of Wanheda.

“Jasper, I…”

“Save it Clarke. We need to get her out of here” Jasper cut her off as he pointed to a crumpled up body on the floor.

“Raven? What happened to her?” Clarke was in shock at seeing her unconscious friend in a heap on the floor.

“We don’t really have time for this Clarke. We gotta go. Fenton is waiting in the hatch” Murphy interrupted the awkward moment between Clarke and Jasper. Murphy and Jasper lifted Raven’s limp form and proceeded to make their way out of the infirmary.

Waiting for them outside the door was Octavia, Monty, Miller and someone Clarke thought she recognized but she didn’t know his name. From the way he was clutching onto Miller’s arm, Clarke assumed he was Millers boyfriend. They all exchanged quick hellos before following Octavia down the hallway, they ran as quickly and quietly as they could. Jasper and Murphy still toting and unconscious Raven. They rounded the corner and found the opening in the wall that Clarke had previously used to sneak in and out of.

“Wanheda! You’re hurt!” exclaimed Fenton, his eyes widening upon seeing Clarke as she lifted the wall piece to uncover the hidden compartment of the Ark.

“It’s not my blood” Clarke reassured the warrior, who let out a noticeable sigh of relief.

“Hurry up. Get her through” Octavia waved at Jasper and Murphy who didn’t hesitate to pass Raven through the wall to a waiting Fenton. The Yujleda warrior threw the young mechanic over his shoulder with ease and held his hand out to Clarke. The blonde shook her head and motioned for him to help the others through first, knowing there was no point in arguing with Wanheda Fenton motioned for Jasper and Murphy to step through.

Clarke wasn’t ready to leave yet, she needed to see her mother. So after she watched everyone go through the hatch she started closing it back up.

“Go Fenton. Take them to Lexa. Tell her to keep them safe. Tell her I need a little time. I will fix this” Clarke relayed her message to an anxiety ridden Fenton before closing the hatch and sprinting down the corridor.

“You shouldn’t have come back here Clarke” a familiar voice called out as she rounded the next corner.

Clarke spun around quickly to see Bellamy aiming his weapon at her.

“Bellamy what are you doing? This isn’t you” tears sprung to her eyes as she saw the hurt and anger in her friend’s eyes. It broke her heart to think that Bellamy had lost his way so completely.

“This is me Clarke. I’m doing what’s best for my people. You’re doing what’s best for HER” Bellamy’s anger was clearly showing, his hands were shaking and his eyes filled with angry tears. Clarke knew exactly who Bellamy was talking about, he was talking about Lexa. His hatred for The Commander made Clarke’s blood run cold.

“This can end here Bellamy. The grounders want peace just like us. They just want Pike. He has to answer for the blood he has spilt Bellamy”

“They want Pike and they want us to be under their rule. To be under HER rule” Bellamy couldn’t say her name, he practically spat when he mentioned her, his hatred ran deep. Clarke wondered whether her decision to abandon them at Mt Weather was the only reason for Bellamy’s hatred of Lexa.

Clarke wondered whether he perhaps had other reasons to be angry at the grounder leader. She knew that Bellamy had been angry that she stayed in Polis with Lexa, she knew that he had felt like she was choosing Lexa and the grounders over him and their people. And she supposed that in a way she had.

“Lexa is willing to overlook everything that has happened. She is willing to let us back into her coalition” Clarke found herself defending The Commander. She hadn’t always agreed with Lexa’s methods and had at one point felt utterly betrayed by the grounder, but in time Clarke had come to accept that Lexa had a duty to her people. The twelve clans that were under her command were her responsibility and it was something she did not take lightly. For Lexa to initiate Skaikru into her coalition meant that she would now have just as much responsibility toward them as any of the other twelve clans and despite their history Clarke trusted her.

“Lexa is a liar!” Bellamy’s voice was thick with contempt.

“Please Bellamy. I’m trying to save our people. This is the only way. If you don’t give them Pike, they will attack Arkadia and no amount of guns will stop them. There’s too many of them. This is a fight you can’t possibly win. You will be condemning our people to death” Clarke was sobbing now. She was desperate to get through to him, but nothing seemed to sink in. He was so far down the path with Pike that she didn’t know if he would ever be able to find his way back.

“We’ll see about that. She underestimated us once before” Bellamy’s words were laced with a hidden meaning that Clarke was unable to decipher. But before she could ask him what he meant she saw Lincoln sneak up behind Bellamy and knock him out with one precise hit to the head.

“Lincoln!” Clarke had no idea where he had come from but she was mighty grateful that he came when he did.

“We have to get out of here. Now!” the panic in Lincoln’s voice frightened her enough to follow him easily as he ran passed her grabbing her arm to pull her down the hall more quickly as he went.

 

* * *

 

 

Patience was usually one of Lexa’s great strengths, but this day had felt like an eternity. Garett was driving her crazy with his pacing. Indra had shown up to her tent a few hours after The Commanders arrival at the blockade. Octavia kom Skaikru had been following close behind the injured Trikru warrior, much to Lexa’s surprise. The young Skaikru made her way through the blockade with ease, hardly anyone even noticing that she was Skaikru and those who did were too afraid of Indra to do anything about it.  
Lexa was fascinated by Octavia. The girl was unlike any other member of Skaikru, she had the heart of a warrior and she didn’t seem to feel out of place amongst Lexa’s army. Octavia was brash in her conversations with Lexa and yet she showed The Commander a respect that no other Skaikru member had ever shown her. Octavia understood their ways and respected their culture and because of that Lexa granted her more allowances than she would any other Skaikru. Indra and Octavia arrived with news of what was happening inside Arkadia. They informed Lexa of Pike’s insanity and the plans he had put in place to breach the blockade. Apparently Octavia had been in regular contact with Marcus Kane via radio before he was arrested for treason yesterday. Marcus and a select few had intended on overthrowing Pike by force and handing him over to Lexa’s army, only their plan was thwarted and Marcus was arrested along with a few others that The Commander did not know.

“Wanheda will succeed Heda” Garett tried his best to assuage Lexa’s worry.

“If Wanheda is to fall, it will be by the hands of her own people. Of that I am sure. They are her weakness” Lexa felt a pang in her heart as she spoke the words. It was indeed her fear that Clarke’s own people would be her undoing.

“The Skai gona will be back soon with news. She has come and gone many times from Arkadia. She knows what she is doing. The Skai boy Murphy is with her and Fenton and Malik will allow no harm to come to Wanheda” Lexa smiled slightly at Garett calling Octavia the sky warrior. It was the truest description a person would ever be able to come up with for the girl.

Clarke has been gone for almost twenty-four hours and they are still yet to hear a word from their allies within Arkadia. Octavia and Murphy had been sent to find answers more than two hours ago and still they knew nothing. Bringing Murphy with them to the blockade had been Clarke’s idea, Lexa had been against it as she didn’t yet trust the discourteous boy. But for some unknown reason Clarke did trust him and so it was him that Lexa sent to get the Skaikru Ambassador out of Arkadia.

Raised voices outside of her tent brought Lexa back to reality. She hurried outside to see what the commotion was about, Garett following closely behind her. Lexa could see figures in the distance but she was unable to make out the faces of those stumbling towards them. Her warriors wasted no time in getting into formation. Swords and spears drawn, a war cry on their lips. Lexa gripped the hilt of her sword, she had to be ready for whatever was to come.

“Em pleni!” Lexa yelled to her warriors upon getting a better look at the bodies approaching. Her entire army silenced at her words. The Commander and the thousand warriors surrounding her all stood in shocked silence as they watched a blonde figure covered in blood from head to toe approaching them. Clarke’s strides were confident and her head was held high. She walked like a true warrior, she walked like Wanheda. Lexa’s breath got caught in her chest as she watched the group close in on their camp. The Commander was beyond elated to see that Clarke was alive, she was flanked closely by Fenton who was carrying a seemingly lifeless form, Octavia, Malik, Murphy, Lincoln and three boys she did not know. Lexa had hoped to see Marcus Kane arrive with them, but for now this group would suffice.

“We have a big problem” were the first words Clarke spoke when she was close enough for only Lexa to hear her.

“Are you hurt?” Lexa saw the blood that covered Clarke’s clothing and her face. Her blonde hair now stained red. Her eyes cold and detached.

“It’s not her blood” Murphy stated matter-of-factly. “We need to get her somewhere before she wakes up. She can’t know where we are” his words confused Lexa completely as she looked to the unconscious girl in Fenton’s arms, but as she looked to Clarke for answers the blonde simply nodded to acknowledge the truth to Murphy’s words.

Lexa motioned for them to take the girl in to her tent and she sighed as she followed them, this was going to be a long night.


End file.
